Step for shovels, spades, and the like.



G. W. BENTON.

S,T.E P FOR SHOVELS, SPADES, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 1916.

1,223,555. Patented @1124, 1917.

gmyenfl em m. $3M 05in GEORGE W. BENTON, OF CONNEAUT, OHIO.

STEP FOR SI-IOVELS, SPADES, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed October 5, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BENTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conneaut, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steps for Shovels, Spades, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallic steps for covering the shoulders of shovel-blades or spade-blades and receiving the pressure of the operators foot, which would otherwise bear immediately upon one of such shoulders in digging and shoveling.

The chief objects of this invention are to make it practicable to utilize for such steps minor fragments of sheet steel which would otherwise go to waste; to permit the removal of such a shoulder when worn or injured and the substitution of another without disturbing any other part of the implement; to avoid all necessity for rivets or other fastening devices by adapting each step to be welded on the blade; to efiectually cover the raw edges of the shoulders without substituting any additional raw edge; to provide the shoulders with an additional layer or thickness of steel without extending the latter horizontally and leaving it liable to be bent or worn ragged; to avoid all occasion for complexity of construction or difliculty of manufacture and generally to improve the shovel or spade and especially the steps used thereon.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the lower part of a spade provided with steps embodying my invention;

Fig. 2, a vertical section through the blade on one side of the socket and handle;

Fig. 3, a detail plan view of one of the blanks for a step; and

Fig. 4, a detail perspective view of a completed step in condition to be applied to a spade or shovelblade.

A designates the shovel handle broken away; B the socket for the lower end of the same, having its tangs or sections held thereon by rivets Z), and C the blade having shoulders 0 and integral with one section of said socket, but welded to the other. I do not, however, confine myself to the special construction of handle, blade and socket shown; for any or all of these may be varied as desired.

D designates the steps which are simple Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917. Serial No. 123,863.

elongated pieces of sheet steel formed from blanks like that marked D on Fig. 3 and bent over to fit the tops of the blade shoulders, as shown in Fig. 1, taking in complete condition the form-shown in Fig. 8. They are to be welded on said shoulders, thus avoiding the use of rivets or other fastenings which require perforations through the blade, thus preventing the weakening of the blade by such holes at this point. They are very durable, being made of strongly resistant material, and cover the rough edges of the shoulders, thus protecting the operators foot and boot or shoe, and afford a very smooth, slightly rounded, tightly fitting surface for the sole of the operators boot or shoe to bear upon. They present no raw edges and have no projecting parts to be bent out of shape or get in the way. As they extend but a very slight distance down the blade, they call for very little material and may be readily stamped or clipped out of waste fragments of sheet steel.

Each step consists of a rounded top and two parallel downwardly extending portions integral with said stop and of equal length therewith, fitting respectively on the front and back of the blade, so that when said step is welded at all points to the blade, its attachment has the maximum of strength and solidity and the blade and steps are practically integral.

The lower edges 0 of each step are slightly curved from end to end, enabling them to fit more accurately against the usual curvature of surface of the latter as the junction thereof with the socket and to provide rounded lower edges for the outer ends 6 of said steps, which ends are extended beyond the blade shoulders. These terminal extensions e effectually cover the shoulder corners and are so rounded that they Will not supply in turn any rough edges. Being short and of strong material folded double and welded where their curved lower edges meet the blade, as well as at all other points of meeting between blade and step, there is no risk of their being bent or damaged.

Each step may be turned end for end, the end which fits against the curved part of the blade being equally adapted to extend out beyond the corner of the shoulder,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a spade blade or shovel blade, a pair of steps U form in crosssection of malleable metal distinct from said blade and the rest oftheimplementfitting on the shoulders of said blade and extending for equal distances down" the front and rear of the latter, each step consisting of a rounded top and a pairof downwardly "projecting portlons extending downward from the outer borders of said top, said portions be- 10 mg of equal length With said top and Welded to said blade on both front and rear thereof so as to be practically integral therewith.

'tWo subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE W. BENTON.

Witnesses-z H. G. KINGDOM, BERTHA D-KINGDO1VL" Copies ofthis patent: may bew's'ntained' for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner off-Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

